Portable benchtop power tools are often used in the construction industry. In particular, at a construction jobsite where workers cut and shape a large number of wood products portable benchtop power tools are used. For example, framers use portable table saws for rough-cutting lumber, while finishing carpenters use portable power saws capable of making rip and miter cuts for producing precise finishing cuts of trim pieces.
In the construction industry it is commonplace for the workers to transport their benchtop power tools from one construction site to another. In doing so, the benchtop power tools may be placed in a transport vehicle, e.g., bed of a pickup truck, alongside of other tools. The benchtop power tools have to be compact to take a small space and be easy to store. Often the benchtop power tools are roughly handled by the worker during placement of the benchtop power tools into the transport vehicle.
In addition, during transport the benchtop power tools may be knocked around and collide with the other tools. For example, during transport of the benchtop power tools from one location to another, the benchtop power tools may slide around in the bed of a pickup truck and collide with the bed walls and/or tailgate of the truck. Such collisions may be detrimental to certain components of the benchtop power tools. In particular, the benchtop power tools may have table top surfaces, and other components that extend from the front side and back side of the benchtop power tools which may be damaged during such collisions. Therefore, one desirable feature of a benchtop power tool is durability during loading and transport from one job site to another including protecting such benchtop power tool table top surfaces and other similarly situated components.
Once at the jobsite, the workers grasp the benchtop power tools by a handle for transferring from the transport vehicle to the jobsite. The benchtop power tools may be bulky and heavy. The benchtop power tools may have concentrations of mass, e.g., due to a heavy motor, at various positions within the body of the tools. These concentrations of mass may cause the benchtop power tools to be awkward to carry during transfer. Therefore, transfer of the benchtop power tools from the transport vehicle to the jobsite may be difficult and requires two hands. Thus, another desirable feature for benchtop power tools is ease of transfer from the transport vehicle to the jobsite.
The benchtop power tools may have several accessories that can be attached thereto. For example, a blade guard is typically included with a table saw. An anti-kickback device and a push stick are other commonplace accessories that are included with a table saw. Yet another accessory that is typically included with a table saw is a rip fence that is coupled to rails of the power saw.
A typical issue for the workers with respect to these accessories is keeping the accessories in a place where they are easily retrievable. However, often times, these accessories are left at job sites and thereby lost. Therefore, another desirable feature of benchtop power tools is to provide convenient stowage capabilities for the accessories and protect them from damage.